THE ABBOTT GOVERNMENT FAILS TO DELIVER FOREIGN INVESTMENT REGISTER

Prior to the election Tony Abbott said that the Coalition would establish “a register of foreign land and agribusiness” Leaders Debate, 28 August 2013.

Yet to date Tony Abbott has failed to deliver on his promise and his Ministers are confused as to how or when the register will be established.

Minister Truss is claiming that “there are two main issues; one is to collect current data but that will take 100 years before it gives you a really meaningful register. “The second thing you’ve got to do is develop a historic register, in other words all of the transactions that have been made dating back to Lord Vestey etcetera,” The Land, 22 December 2014.

Minister Robb is claiming that “It’s not my area but (I understand) it is 80 per cent finished and the intention is to have it done by Christmas.” Farmonline, 29 October 2014.

Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce claimed that the Register was firmly on track – this was back on 23 June 2014. It has obviously fallen off the track.

Australians cannot trust Tony Abbott’s chaotic Government and are right to be disappointed by his empty pre-election promises.

But for rural and regional Australia it is worse. Because he has also:

• Failed to support farmers suffering from the drought;• Failed to deliver his promised agriculture white paper;• Failed on his promise to provide new money to increase agriculture research and development funding;• Increased fuel prices for rural and regional motorists;• Cut biosecurity funding;• Pursued higher education changes which will hurt regional university students most; and• Pursued a GP Tax which will make it harder to secure and retain GPs in the rural and regional Australia.

Labor will continue to hold to account the Prime Minister and his Ministers for their broken pre-election promises.